Research Team

Amaranta Herrero

I am an Environmental Sociologist. Ever since I can remember I have been interested in understanding the complex interdependent relations between humans and (the rest of) nature. I have also always been transitioning between academic disciplines, both from the natural and the social sciences: my disciplinary background spans from undergraduate studies in both Agricultural Engineering and Sociology, a MA in Ecological Economics and a PhD in Environmental Sociology. My area of specialisation is Socio-Environmental Conflicts and Controversies. I care about the state of the world, especially regarding the current worrying ecocidal trends, and I participate in social movements seeking socio-environmental justice. I am very interested in the different narratives we can develop and actions we can take to evolve towards the self-transformation of societies in a way that we can have a long-term perspective on ecological and social sustainability. Additional extra-academic interests have led me to explore the world of audiovisual technologies (video, radio and photography), music: violin, hand-made paper canoes, and shiatsu.

Rosa Binimelis

I am an Environmental Scientist specialised in environmental conflicts and Ecological Economics. I have a long interest in examining the social, cultural, political, ecological and economic implications of the ways food is perceived, produced and consumed. For many years I have been conducting research in topics related to agri-food systems such as the socio-economic impacts of Genetically Modified Organisms, food sovereignty, alternative food systems or gender issues related to the rural world. I also participate in social movements related to agroecology, food sovereignty and socio-environmental justice. Furthermore, I am interested in the intersections between activism and academia, so I feel very enthusiastic about the project’s aim to find new ways to capture, visualise, communicate and assess the relational networks involved in modern agri-food systems. I am the mother of two children and after traveling for the last two years, we now live in a community in Catalonia.

Maya Marshak

I am a food researcher and part-time illustrator. I am passionate about the role that transforming the food system can play in the future and am active in working towards social and environmental justice. I have recently joined the Agricultures team as a PhD student. My background is in urban food security and I am excited about this project because it takes me out of the city to engage with other parts of the food system and I hope to learn a great deal from it. I look forward to engaging with pressing questions I have about the health and resilience of South Africa’s food system going into the future. I am also excited about the interdisciplinary nature of the project and feel this can offer some exciting avenues for engaging with research around GMOs.

Fern Wickson

I am program coordinator of the Society, Ecology and Ethics Department (SEED) at GenØk Centre for Biosafety in Tromsø, Norway. In my work I aim to advance sustainable agriculture, responsible innovation and resilient socio-ecological futures. Trained in both ecology and political science, I currently work as a cross-disciplinary researcher on the environmental governance of emerging technologies. In addition to my role as a researcher, I am a member of the Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board and President of the international Society for the Study of Nanoscience and Emerging Technologies (S.Net). I also serve on the board of the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) and am engaged in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). I have worked on a range of European, Norwegian, American and Australian projects related to environmental philosophy and ethics, the politics of risk and uncertainty, and public engagement with science and technology. I am proudly owned by 2 old Norwegian elkhounds, enjoy hiking through wild landscapes and attempting to grow my own food. I am constantly inspired by the beauty and diversity of life on earth.